


Reading Deeper

by 169daysleft



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-19
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:20:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21855163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/169daysleft/pseuds/169daysleft
Summary: Patrick's cousin comes into town, and is little worried if David is the right fit for him
Relationships: Patrick Brewer/David Rose
Comments: 7
Kudos: 34
Collections: Schitt's Creek Open Fic Night 2.0





	Reading Deeper

**Author's Note:**

  * For [oh_la_fraise](https://archiveofourown.org/users/oh_la_fraise/gifts).



> Needs a lot of work before its actually done, but I've got all of tomorrow and Friday to edit it.

“Is he here yet?”  
“No, David, Nathan has not arrived in the two minutes since you’ve last asked.”  
“Okay, well it’s a reasonable question to ask, because he was supposed to be here at 5:00, and he’s very late.”  
“It’s 5:07”.  
“Yes! And we’re supposed to be going to the only restaurant in Elmdale nice enough to need reservations which means that to make it there by 6:30, we’re all going to have to leave here at 5:30.” David’s hands were gesticulating wildly with nerves. Patric caught them by the forearms and lowered them slowly until he was holding both of David’s hands in his, swinging them gently back and forth.  
“David. It’s going to be okay. I know you’re nervous about making things nice for my cousin, but he’s not gonna care if we miss the reservation. He’d just as happily eat McDonald’s for dinner.”  
“Oh god, I hope that's a joke, because that’s not happening.”  
“Seriously David, it’s gonna be okay. I know you’re worried but we’ve talked since the engagement and he’s totally fine with it. He says he’s just happy that I’m happy.”  
“I mean, if you’re sure. You said he was like a brother growing up, I want this to go well.”  
Just then, the doorbell to the apartment rings. Patrick squeezes David’s hand comfortingly  
“It’ll go great, trust me.” He says, before moving to unlock the door. He pulls it open, revealing a man in his mid-thirties, dressed for the chilly fall weather. He sees the pair and grins.  
“Patrick, how are you man? It’s been too long.” He steps in the door and sets his bags down, before going in to hug Patrick.  
“Nathan, good to see you. How was the drive?”  
“Not too bad.”. He pulls back to look past Patrick, catching sight of David.  
“And you must be the fiance. I’m Nathan, nice to meet you.” He steps in for a hug just as David stretched out his hand to shake, causing an awkward filtering between the two, before David goes in for the hug as well.  
“Oh, um, hi. I’m David.”  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They’re about 15 minutes away from the restaurant, and Patrick can see David in the rearview, checking and rechecking his phone for the time. He tries to ignore it, asking Nathan about how his mom doing.  
“Oh, she’s doing really well. She was sorry that her favorite nephew couldn’t come to her retirement party, but she’s enjoying having the time to start new hobbies.”  
“Yeah, I’m sad I missed it, but it wasn’t a good time to be away from the store. We were trying to get a new vendor for the store, but David here couldn’t be trusted to talk with her alone.” Patrick says, casting an accusing look back to him through the rearview.  
“Look, the woman was wearing clogs, and she was trying to give me advice on how to arrange the store. I was not going to let that stand.”  
“Okay but David, we’ve talked about how vendors have the right to have input on how their products are displayed, regardless of their attire.”  
“Oh, that’s why you couldn’t come? That’s a bummer, seems like it could have been figured out.” David looked up sharply at Nathan in the passenger seat.”  
“Well, it definitely couldn’t. I wouldn’t expect either of you to understand the gravity of the interior decorating faux-pa she was suggesting for the store. It was like she was trying to set up the interior of a Sears.”  
“Oh, well I’m sure it was more important than Mom’s retirement party.” Natha said, trying to hide his irritation.  
“It was, don’t worry” David replied, oblivious. “Patrick, it’s 6:25 and we’re still ten minutes away. I told you we should have left earlier.”  
“David, we’ll be fine. Being five minutes late for a reservation isn’t the end of the world.” David looked unsure.  
“Besides, aren’t you always talking about how we should be fashionably late?”  
“Not with reservations, Patricl! At least, not unless you’ve reserved the whole restaurant, which you said was “out of the question””.  
“Okay, even if we had the money to do that, David, I wouldn't reserve the whole restaurant just because you don’t like people watching you eat.”  
Davd just muttered the word “rude” under his breath, but left it at that.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It felt a little weird in the restaurant, David and Patrick sitting on one side of the table, with Nathan alone on the other side. It would have been better, Patrick thought, if his girlfriend was able to come as planned, but she had apparently had a work emergency. They ordered drinks, and then sat in silence for a while. Eventually, David spoke up, looking uncomfortable with the silence.  
“So, Nathan. I hear you and Patrick were pretty close as kids?”  
“ Yeah, we were. Aunt Marcy’s house was only a few blocks away from mine, so I used to walk this guy home after school when he was too young to go alone, and we’d hand out then. We’re the closest in age of the grandchildren, so we always got lumped together at family reunions and sow e’d play all sorts of games together as kids.”  
“Oh? What sorts of games?” Patrick could clearly see the pained look on David’s face as he attempted small talk, but he appreciated the effort all the same.  
“Oh, you know, like classic kids games. Soccer and baseball in the summer, hockey in the winter. We’d wrestle a lot too, although Patrick here was never any good. He ribbed.  
“Hey! You had the advantage of about two years and 20 pounds, it was never a fair fight.”  
“Sure, sure. Make all the excuses you want, I still won.”  
“Mmm. Sounds fun.” David said, unenthusiastically. At the tone, Nathan gave him a weird look, but moved on.  
“What kind of stuff did you do as a kid, David? Any sports?”  
“Oh lord no, I would never willingly subject myself to that barbaric experience. I was in theatre when I was younger, as well as art. I also learned the cello for a year or so, before Yo-Yo Ma had to return to composing full time.”  
“Oh, what made you like the cello?”  
“I actually hated it, but Avril Lavigne only hung out with kids who were into music, so I stuck with it.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Sorry we couldn’t get you a room at the motel, but tonight was one of the rare nights where it actually filled all the way up.”  
“That’s fine, I don’t think I’m too much of an old man to spend one night on a couch. Is David already in bed?”  
“No, he’s got about another 20 minutes of his skincare routine before he can go to sleep.” At that statement, Nathan gave Patrick a weird look.  
“What?” Patrick asked.  
“David just seems interesting, is all.” Nathan says cautiously.  
“What do you mean?” Patrick furrowed his brow as he tried to discern where Nathan was going with this.  
“I mean, don’t get me wrong, he seems alright, but are you sure he’s right for you? I mean, he just doesn’t really seem to share any interests with you, and he seems kinda petty and condescending. I just, I guess I never imagined you with anyone so superficial?”  
“No, Nathan, it’s nott like that,-”  
“Well, man, from where I am it kinda is. He keeps talking about all these famous people, and I know he was rich, but like, is that supposed to matter to me? And even with all that, I normally wouldn’t say anything, but he talks so badly about his family. He seems so inconsiderate of them. And of you! He couldn’t figure his own shit out with the store for one weekend so you could go to mom’s retirement party.” He let out a sigh. “I just, I don’t get what you see in him.”

Patrick looked at Nathan and shook his head, before letting out a small laugh.  
“Nathan, man, you got it all wrong.” He took a breath before starting again. “Well, not all wrong I guess. I mean, he can very petty and superficial. But, I mean, he talks about those celebrities because they used to mean something to him, but also to distract people from how sad his life was before. And, yeah he talks bad about his family, but they are admittedly a lot, and despite what he says, he would do anything for them. He has done anything for them. He used to help his sister out of life-threatening situations when she was younger, and he once slept with an ex so he wouldn’t embarrass his mother.


End file.
